Tulsa World: Preseason game is a home game for Thomas

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Preseason game is a home game for Thomas

By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer
Published: 10/14/2009 2:28 AM
Last Modified: 10/14/2009 5:15 AM

Etan Thomas was relaxing at his mother's house in Tulsa last summer. Food was being barbecued. Kids were playing. And a good day got better when Thomas' agent called to say he might be traded to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

"That would be perfect," Thomas' mother, Deborah, told her son.

Deborah was excited that she might get to watch her son play just by driving a few miles down the turnpike.

She should like her Wednesday commute even better.

Thomas, a former Booker T. Washington High School standout, is returning to his hometown for a Thunder-Miami Heat preseason game at the BOK Center.

Thomas, an eight-season NBA veteran, was traded from Minnesota to Oklahoma City in July.

During a Tuesday telephone interview, Thomas said he is glad to be playing in Oklahoma and said playing in Tulsa will be special. He said he has played in charity events here, but hasn't played a "real" game in his hometown since 1996, when he teamed with Ryan Humphrey to produce 36 points, 17 rebounds and seven blocks in a Class 6A state championship game victory over Norman at the Mabee Center.

Thomas played collegiately at Syracuse, so many of his friends will be seeing him play in person for the first time since he was a Hornet.

Thomas said he has satisfied more than 100 ticket requests — and that's not counting a separate ticket list his mother compiled. People from Thomas' church, his former English teacher and the varsity and junior varsity basketball teams at Booker T. Washington are expected to be in attendance.

Thomas' mother is a teacher. She raised a shot-blocker and someone who conquered writer's block.

Thomas penned a book of poems titled "More Than An Athlete" and he said he has another book ("Voices of the Future") coming out next year that will present the thoughts and opinions of young people. He likes encouraging young people to write.

Know what else Thomas likes? Tulsa.

"It's where I grew up," he said. "It means a lot."

Thomas was born in Harlem, but was reared in Tulsa. He attended Carver Middle School before heading to Booker T. Washington and, during high school, played pick-up games against University of Tulsa players. Small world? One of the TU players was Michael Ruffin. Thomas and Ruffin were once Washington Wizards teammates and now they have been reunited in Oklahoma City.

Thomas said he visits Tulsa every summer, usually to spend time with mom and talk about old times with buddies. Now he's coming for a business trip.

"I think it's wonderful," he said. "I can't wait."

Jimmie Tramel 581-8389
jimmie.tramel@tulsaworld.com By JIMMIE TRAMEL World Sports Writer

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	Report Comment Cooldaddy, Broken Arrow (10/14/2009 9:55:08 AM) Can't wait? I'm itchy to see that 7:30 PM tip-off.
	Report Comment OUKW, TULSA (10/14/2009 11:27:05 AM) any northeast oklahoma resident that purchases a ticket or attends this game should be ashamed of themselves.

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